Pier Towers, Withernsea

Two sturdy Victorian towers rise up from Withernsea's seafront like something from a postcard your grandparents might have sent. These are the Pier Towers, the remaining gatehouse structures of what was once a proper Victorian pleasure pier - the actual pier itself is long gone, claimed by the sea decades ago, but these brick towers refuse to budge.

You can't go inside them (they're listed structures, carefully preserved), but that's almost beside the point. The real draw is standing in front of them, taking in how they sit against the North Sea, imagining what it must have been like when Victorian families strolled along the pier below. They're a satisfying bit of seaside archaeology, especially if you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks like Parkdean Resorts Withernsea Sands or Sand le Mere.

This isn't a major attraction that'll eat up your afternoon. Five minutes, maybe ten if you're chatty and want to absorb the history. But they're right there on the seafront, so grab them while you're walking along the promenade. The view back towards Withernsea town is decent on a clear day. History types and anyone interested in Victorian seaside culture will find them interesting; small children might puzzle over why you're looking at two old towers rather than, say, ice cream. Best visited on a bright day when the red brick photographs well and the wind isn't absolutely howling off the water.